Fun Guy Foraging

I just posted this on Insta. Beautiful Calostoma sp.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DNOh5kHJ66h/?hl=en&img_index=1

This freak of nature is one of my favorites, Calostoma cinnabarinum. Found yesterday near Boone, NC, this really weird looking mushroom that some people call a "stalked puffball" happens to be more closely related to the "poison pigskin puffball" than true puffballs in the family Sclerodermataceae. That said, I have consumed this mushroom, I do not advise others to do so though. There are 4 species known to the SE USA and this one is probably the coolest looking in my opinion. #calostomacinnabarinum Aka #hotlips mushroom Aka stalked puffball on aspic #stalkedpuffballinaspic #sclerodermataceae #calostoma #mushroomclass #mushroomidentification #mushroomlove #mushroom #fungi #foraging

Looks like I'm going to be teaching another 2 day intensive mushroom class at the beautiful Terra Nova Center of the Brigade of Light! Such a great venue with such good energy. This is a certification class to sell wild edibles for a multitude of different states! I'm going to link 2 online classes for beginners that are coming up soon too. Please help spread the word.

Wild Mushroom Food Safety Certification - NORTH CAROLINA - OCT 19-20, 2024 This 5 year mushroom foraging permit meets the criteria required by the state health departments and formally approved for the foraging and selling of wild mushrooms in the following states: South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island. Signups wil...

Hey all! As some of you already know, I am teaching an online class next Tuesday. This class is catered to beginners, so not really catered to many of my mycologists friends, but please feel free to help me spread the word. More info can be found at

Edible Wild Mushroom ID - Southeast Fall Season (Online Class) - SEPT 3, 2024 Date: Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024 Time: 7:00 - 9:00 PM (EST) Price: $60 Instructor: Kenny Rupert, Owner of Fun Guy Foraging & Wild Mushroom ID Certification Instructor Description: Are you ready to begin your mushroom foraging journey? Whether you’re a novice forager or just curious about the...

Finally got pics back from my most recent mushroom talk at a local library. Really enthusiastic crowd. A lot of very curious kids and like-minded adults. Some great questions and an all around good time. I love that they decked the place out for my class!

Had an amazing time last week teaching a bunch of home school kids the joy of fungi. We didn't find a lot on our nature walk, but I was able to bring a bunch of props and show them a great time. Really cute and receptive crowd that had some great questions.

I'm going to try and keep this page updated as well, but it seems like more people notice any posts on Instagram. I will be available for classes all over the Carolinas and possibly VA in September. Keep in touch! https://instagram.com/fun_guy_foraging?utm_source=qr&igshid=ZDc4ODBmNjlmNQ==

https://www.inaturalist.org/guides/10715

Winter Mushroom Guide: Identifying Common Wild Mushrooms (North America) · iNaturalist This guide to fall mushrooms covers many of the common wild mushrooms you will find in the winters in the vast forests of North America (Canada and the United States).

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/zombie-fungus-body-fly-photo-contest

An award-winning photo captures a ‘zombie’ fungus erupting from a fly The winner of the 2022 BMC Ecology and Evolution photo competition captures a macabre cycle of life and death in the Peruvian Amazon.

Some great info here if you or someone you know made a possible lethal error.

In only an hour I found a bunch of edible species close to Charlotte!

Amanita section Caesareae
Russula crustosa
Dacrymyces chrysospermus
Amanita amerirubescens group
Russula sp.
Amanita section Vaginatae
Calocera sp.
Lycoperdon perlatum
And a deer who wasn't afraid of me in the least, lol.